In the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes, then-Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration steered some $100 million in disaster funding toward affordable housing projects — despite hundreds of storm victims stuck in temporary homes, according to an analysis.
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administration → steer → analysis
Under Cooper’s watch, the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) sent $100 million for affordable housing as the $1 billion agency was suffering from a gaping budget shortfall, an analysis by the John Locke Foundation, a free-market think tank in the state, found.
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analysis → send → state
One of the affordable housing projects, Starway Village, was a $9 million 278-unit complex that opened to people earning $45,000 a year, about 12 miles away from the beach.
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that → open → beach
Critically, those affordable housing projects do not require applicants to be hurricane victims.
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projects → require → applicants
Cooper’s team refused to comment, but the state office defended the affordable housing program, arguing it did not hamper the recovery for storm victims.
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it → refuse → victims
“When determining program needs and funding, NCORR worked in collaboration with HUD [Department of Housing & Urban Development] to determine and prioritize needs in storm-impacted areas, while also ensuring full compliance with federal requirements for use of the funds,” a NCORR spokesperson told The Post.
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spokesperson → determine → Post
“When making decisions specifically about affordable housing, NCORR also sought and received input from local governments, community organizations, public comment periods and roundtable events.
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NCORR → make → governments
The funding in question came after Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence wreaked havoc on the Old North State in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
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Matthew → come → 2016
Years after those two storms ripped through North Carolina, a report by WHQR found that over a thousand families were still left without rebuilt or repaired homes.
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families → rip → homes
But an NCORR spokesperson insisted the arrangement of directing over $100 million in disaster relief money to affordable housing projects is normal, claiming that states usually incorporate affordable housing into their recovery plans.
“HUD strongly encourages all grantees to have a varied program portfolio, while also requiring a demonstrated need before proposed funding can be approved in an action plan,” a spokesperson said.
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spokesperson → insist → plan
“Due to the storm impacts experienced by both homeowners and renters, housing availability is considered a key component of community recovery.”
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availability → experience → recovery
The spokesperson also stressed that “NCORR’s ReBuild NC program has returned 4,240 eastern North Carolina families to safer, more resilient homes.”
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program → stress → homes
Cooper, who is running for a competitive Senate seat against Republican Michael Whatley, previously faced controversy after a state audit found that reconstruction of more than 1,100 homes was unfinished by the time he left office.
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he → run → office
It also found that 3,522 homes were rebuilt.
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homes → find → ?
The former governor has said he “helped repair or rebuild more than 14,000 homes,” though his campaign claimed that his estimate referred to more than just the HUD-funded reconstruction efforts cited in the audit.
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estimate → say → audit
During his tenure, the Tar Heel State took an average of 138 days to make a decision on whether someone was eligible for reconstruction funds, according to the audit.
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someone → take → audit
On average, it took four years after being deemed eligible for construction to begin.
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construction → take → years
The Post repeatedly reached out to Cooper’s campaign for comment.
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Post → reach → comment
Cooper is widely seen as the frontrunner in his Senate race, which the Cook Political Report rates as “lean” Democrat.
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Report → see → Democrat
He also has a 9-percentage-point edge over Whatley in the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate of polling.
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He → have → polling
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